"it's your road and yours alone. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you." rumi

RISEN

“There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.”
Matthew 28: 2 NIV

by larrypaulbrown
Entombed in the ways of the world, lost and shattered,
I lay on the slab of death awaiting my eternal destiny.
My body, broken, suffering and battered,
anticipates with resignation the coming darkness.
Where are my angels? Who will save me
from the emptiness of my soul’s distress?

My life’s demons, dancing merrily about me,
are seeking to put the final seal on my tomb.
They tell me there is no solace or reprieve,
I have sold my soul to their ungodly desire.
Oh, how my heart grieves for God’s love lost;
Why did I transgress my soul’s burning fire?

The love affair with lust and wine, a faithless tryst,
was a demanding and jealous mistress.
To satisfy her, I entertained limitless risk,
wanting more, desiring fulfilment, seeking love.
And in the end she laughingly abandoned me;
“Where now is your God from heaven above?”

Indeed, my God has deservedly cast me aside,
just as I cast Him aside so many times before.
I have no hope that with Him again I’ll reside;
my life in sin and darkness has been vainly spent.
My days in the far country have been grievously long;
how could He ever allow me to repent?

Surely the stones in my life are beyond removal,
they are firmly set in place awaiting death’s seal.
A life spent apart from God has fated my fall;
for there shall be no eternity filled with joy and bliss.
Yea, as I walk through my valley of the shadow
how deep is my sorrow over love I shall forever miss?

But wait! A tiny shaft of light begins to stream in,
casting a patch of hope on my tomb’s dark wall.
“Reach to me, touch me, I will still forgive your sin;
Love me; follow me; for even now it is not too late.
Always I have walked with you to the depth of your hell;
Your stone is placed, but why think you I have sealed your fate?”

Yes, God, yes. Take me as I am and wrap me in your arms,
My sin is great, yet I surely know now your love is greater.
I repent, I kneel at your feet, remove my demons’ charms;
renew my heart, cleanse my mind, crucify my life of deceit.
I bow in obedience to your will and will never again stray;
but Lord, why would you want to save me from this tomb of defeat?

“I gave my beloved Son to you, allowed him to suffer on the cross,
abandoned him to the wrath of all that is despicable and wicked.
He alone suffered the weight of my punishing albatross,
whereby you and all who believe shall be spared eternal damnation.
The price has been paid; His blood was shed for you on Calvary;
can you now believe my love for you has no limitation?”

Just as in Matthew 28, verse 2, my stone has been rolled away;
my love for my Jesus has resurrected this cold, devious heart.
God rescued another soul from the gates of hell where demons play;
took a man entombed in debauchery and depravation, made him whole.
Glory to my God and my Lord; I’m untombed; I’m alive;
Satan I joyously ask,“Were you watching, did you see that stone roll?”
AMEN